Community Garden Program
The City of Barrie's Community Garden Program is governed by the
Community Garden Policy. There are currently four community gardens in Barrie.
The Government of Ontario recognized community gardens as essential services and permitted municipalities to operate public community gardens during 2020 under COVID-19 protocols. Staff continue to monitor direction from the provincial government and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit regarding the operation of municipal community gardens in 2021.
New Community Gardens to be Implemented
The City of Barrie, in partnership with the
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and
Urban Pantry, explored new locations for community gardens. Staff
consulted with residents in early 2021 to consider feedback prior to applying for approvals of new garden locations.
All three community garden concepts and locations below were approved for implementation in 2021. For more detail please refer to the May 2021 Memo to City Council.
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Batteaux Park, 443 Mapleton Avenue (Ward 6)
Build date: July 22, 2021 -
Lampman Lane Park, 59 Lampman Lane (Ward 5)
Build date: July 15, 2021 -
Riverwood Park, 22 Kozlov Street (Ward 4)
Build date: August 2021 (exact date TBD)
This new garden represents the closure and transfer of the existing Sunnidale Park location. A new parking lot in Riverwood Park will be constructed in 2022.
Urban Pantry will undertake the construction of the three new gardens in accordance with the Government of Ontario's current COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Orders and protocols.
Established Community Garden Locations
| Eastview Community Park, 453 Grove Street | |
This is an unfenced location with parking and water service. There are two (2) raised plots, ten (10) ground level single plots and nine (9) double plots. In 2020, double plots #10 and #19 are sponsored communal plots. If you are interested in participating in a communal plot, please contact Service Barrie at
ServiceBarrie@barrie.ca or (705) 726-4242. Please refer to
Eastview Garden Map for plot numbers.
This garden was sponsored and built by Urban Pantry through a Trillium Foundation Grant.
 |
| Golden Meadow Park, 139 Hurst Drive | |
Established in 2012 through financial support from Living Green - Environmental Action Barrie, this is an unfenced location, with parking and water service. There are 12 single garden plots and 6 double plots available for a total of 18 plots in this location. Please refer to the Golden
Meadow Park - Community Garden Layout
for plot numbers.
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| Shear Park Community Garden, 21–23 Holgate Street | |
Constructed in 2019 by Urban Pantry through a Trillium Foundation grant, this is an unfenced location with parking and water service. There are nine single plots and nine double plots. There are two accessible single plots, raised to four feet (1.2 metres) with wide edges to support sitting. Raised beds are reserved for accessible rental until June 1 annually. They are made available to the general public after June 1. Please refer to the
Shear Park Community Garden Layout for plot numbers.
 |
| Sunnidale Park (Coulter Street curve) | |
Established in 2010, with a financial contribution and the work of many volunteers from Living Green - Environmental Action Barrie, the Sunnidale Community Garden is located along
Coulter Street in Sunnidale Park. It is a fenced area containing 10 single garden plots and 11 double plots
within the fenced enclosure (see
Sunnidale Park - Community Garden Layout). This layout is subject to change at the gardeners' discretion.
Please note: - There is no water tap available on site and gardeners are responsible for their own water supply
- There is an abundance of groundhogs due to the natural parkland, and gardeners are advised to implement any controls necessary (raised beds, chicken wire etc.) on their plots to prevent loss of produce.
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Garden Plot Rental Contract & Fees
Prior to renting a plot, gardeners are to read the policy and sign a
Garden Plot Rental Contract. The City administers the registration of the garden plots and any alterations to the garden plan. The gardeners elect a garden coordinator to operate the day-to-day functions of the garden and liaise with the City.
- Single Plot: $20 + HST ($22.60) - 1.5 x 4.5m (5'x15')
- Double Plot: $50 + HST ($56.50) - 3m x 4.5m (10' x 15')
How to Rent a Garden Plot
Current gardeners must re-register for their same plot annually by October 31. New gardener registrations are accepted starting November 1 annually.
- Fill out and sign a
Garden Plot Rental Contract.One plot per person, except after May 1.
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Submit the contract by mail or in-person at
Service Barrie with payment by cheque payable to the "City of Barrie" (please do not send cash in the mail). Mailing address:
City of Barrie Community Garden Administrator
Service Barrie, Box 400
Barrie Ontario, L4M 4T5
Signed contracts will be received on a first-come, first-served basis. Gardeners may pick their plot immediately if registering in person. If the contract was submitted by mail, registrants will be notified of their plot number by phone or e-mail. Your contact information will be made available to the Garden Coordinator, who will contact you when the garden is opened up in the spring. If you indicate on your contract that you are interested in being a Garden Coordinator, you will be contacted by the City of Barrie Community Garden Administrator.
Due to the limited number of plots available, you may be placed on a waiting list, in priority sequence, if the plots are all rented by an early date. Your payment will be returned to you if your contract was submitted by mail. If a plot becomes available, you will be contacted according to the waiting list priority sequence, and the fee will be due at that time. Please submit your signed contract regardless of plot availability in order to help indicate the level of community interest and the need for more garden plots.